The mood is celebratory at Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti’s team has been crowned champions of Spain and is still in the running for the Champions League title. However, this qualification for the final of the most prestigious competition could cost the Merengues a tidy sum, thanks to Eden Hazard…
As champions of Spain and potentially soon-to-be champions of Europe, Real Madrid can be satisfied with the recruitment strategy they adopted a few years ago: acquiring young talented players rather than enormous superstars already established at exorbitant prices.
An exception was made when Cristiano Ronaldo departed in 2018; Real Madrid’s executives brought in Eden Hazard for a whopping €160 million. A massive flop, Hazard retired in October 2023, yet he still poses a financial burden to the Madridistas. Chelsea can rejoice at Real’s qualification.
The Telegraph reports today that Real Madrid’s qualification for the Champions League final has earned Chelsea nearly €6 million, a clause included in Hazard’s contract, which ran until 2024. Despite the contract being terminated, this clause remains valid.
One of the biggest flops in the club’s history, Eden Hazard’s arrival at Real Madrid in the summer of 2018 was highly anticipated. However, his time in Spain was a nightmare. In four seasons at Santiago Bernabéu, the former Lille player only managed to play 54 matches in the white jersey, scoring a mere 6 goals. Arriving overweight at the multiple European champions, the forward struggled with injuries almost systematically, preventing him from stringing together consistent appearances.
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